A Met Office spokesman said: "On Sunday night we saw the coldest temperature of the season in Braemar in Scotland.

"But his week we will see lots of dry weather across the country, with plenty of cloud. There will be some sunny spells with daytime temperatures in the South around 7-8C (44 – 46F).

"Some places along the South Coast could even see double figures, which is above average for this time of the year."

After a relatively mild October, the recent freezing weather has fuelled concerns for millions who are worried about the rising cost of heating their homes after the recent round of price increases for gas and electricity.

The Local Government Authority has insisted that 95 per cent of councils had either maintained or increased stock levels of salt this winter. More than 80 per cent have fitted GPS trackers on the gritters, to ensure drivers don't grit the same stretch of road twice.